About Us

OUR MISSIONS:

“To provide a peer-reviewed published dialogue of applied research in Christian servant leadership across denominational, cultural, and disciplinary environments.”

This mission involves several elements that provide a greater sense for what the Journal seeks to accomplish. Explaining key words serves as a window into the “culture” of those operating the Journal of Applied Christian Leadership.

Peer-reviewed: This element describes the editorial nature of the Journal. The Journal encourages articles for publication that will be reviewed by peers in the field of leadership for evaluation both in content and style. This process will include ways of improving and/or other resources that might be considered as part of the dialogue. This will also allow for an expansion of the field to occur so that at the time of publication the article can have a wider audience.

Published: Our initial goal is that the Journal be a semi-annual publication with an eye of shifting toward a quarterly and then possibly monthly at some future point.

Dialogue: Descriptive of the nature of the inquiry, the Journal seeks to encourage a respectful dialogue between scholars, students and practitioners of leadership. Writers will present their findings in ways that while prescriptive also encourage dissent and a shared conversation.

Applied: The content of what is presented derives from strategies, principles, philosophies, and dynamic elements of leadership put into practice in a host of varied environments. What is presented is not an untried theory but a “theory-in-use” applicable to a place and time. Therefore, editors ask writers to use non-technical language accessible to practitioners.

Research: There are many leadership journals that provide an “anecdotal” approach to understanding leadership. While this approach is vital to growth in understanding, the rigor of research-based studies is vital as well to give a more rounded viewpoint toward leadership. Therefore, the vast majority of approved articles will consist of a research base to understanding. This is a core component of the Journal. Christian: A second core component of the Journal is the focus of Christian principles as they intersect with leadership in action. While there will no doubt be “Christian” principles located in non-Christian environments, the tenor of the Journal will be based upon scriptural elements of leadership.

Servant: A third core component of the Journal is the centrality of Servant Leadership. While this nomenclature is widespread today (even outside Christian circles), we recognize that “servant” leadership arises largely out of the life and leadership of Jesus Christ and as expressed powerfully by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 2. It is our dynamic understanding of His life and this passage that serves as a platform for our understanding of this core component.

Leadership: Every endeavor in human history has involved a leader of one type or another. The Journal is about leadership. It is about the way people motivate, inspire, and lead others to accomplish as a group what could never be accomplished by them-selves, all the while providing a dynamic transformation of all involved.

Across: Leadership is exemplified across religious, racial, and national boundaries. Fundamental to a dynamic understanding and application of leadership is a soul belief that no one group has sole propriety of leadership wisdom. In fact, when the discourse concerning leadership transcends all time and space our comprehension expands and our practice of leadership moves with greater effectiveness.

Denominational: This first of three environments demonstrates the Journal’s fundamental worldview that learning can take place regardless of creed and denominational divides. In fact, the more one studies various leadership issues throughout the denominational world, the clearer becomes the commonality of our leadership challenges. Since the Journal centers upon Christian leadership, it is imperative that our research expand beyond denominational borders.

Cultural: One of the greatest challenges facing any organization in the 21st century is the growing expanse of globalization. Whether that globalization is reflected in micro-globalization through immigration or macro-globalization through increased universal communication and transportation, fundamental to any leader of the 21st century is the ability to lead across national, sub-cultural, and multi-cultural boundaries.

Disciplinary: A final arena where boundaries can be removed for the benefit of leadership comprehension is this vital area of academic disciplines. More often than not, various schools have made leadership the focus of study. Each school has provided incredible insight into the theory, philosophy, and practice of leadership. However, if our leadership comprehension is to expand, it will require the synergy of cross-disciplinary dialogue to occur. Increasingly in the leadership world, contribution is coming from such schools as history, sociology, theology, and even philosophy. To deny the interdisciplinary dynamic of leadership comprehension would substantially minimize and/or prevent leadership learning.

Environments: Finally, the Journal recognizes that the culture of leadership is influenced by the various environments where leader-ship is practiced and the skills honed. From the military arena (in either a peace-time environment or war-time environment) to the entertainment arena, leadership spans the limitations of environmental factors. Leadership is played out in the symphony hall as well as the science lab as well as the sports arena. If leaders are to grow so that followers and organizations and our world can become a better place, it is imperative that our understanding of leadership cross the expanse of time and space.